Beowulf, trans. Heaney, Norton, 2000.

1. According to the Wife of Bath’s Tale, what do women most desire?

2. What conflicting codes did Lanval have to deal with?

3. What motivates Beowulf to do as he does in the epic?

4. Why kill off the epic’s hero in Beowulf?

5. What differences do you notice between Beowulf and Lanval?

6. Who is the intended audience of Beowulf? Of Lanval?

7. How many pilgrims are on the road to Canterbury? Where do they start? How will they pass the time?

Dr. Faustus and court life and patronage with these readings: Wyatt, “They Flee From Me” p. 653;

Elizabeth I, “On Monsieur’s Departure,” 758, Letter to Dudley, 759, Elizabeth and Ralegh 761-762;

Spenser, The Faerie Queene, “A Letter of the Authors” and The Shepheardes Calendar pp. 766-80.

8. If you had all the power in the world, what would you do with it?

9. What does Faustus desire and what does he get?

10. What do you make of the scene with the Pope and with the Emperor?

11. Based on Dr. Faustus how does the playwright, Christopher Marlowe, define hell?

12. In V.i., what is the significance of the Old Man? Of Helen?

13. What’s the significance of the Horsecourser?

14. What Renaissance staging conventions do you notice in the play?

15. As you watch/read, are you sympathetic toward any character?

16. Does this play serve a diverse audience? Is there something for everyone? How so?